According to “live plus same-day” Nielsen estimates, “The Knick” averaged 354,000 viewers for its regular-timeslot premiere at 10 o’clock. One week earlier, the movie “Dawn of the Dead” drew about 249,000 viewers in the same time period.

Cinemax’s most recent premiere prior to Friday, “Banshee” in January 2013, opened with 483,000 viewers.

Three other replays late Friday netted an additional 303,000, and a special Saturday 10 p.m. encore on HBO drew 533,000. In total, it grossed about 1.7 million viewers over its opening weekend.

“Knick” stars Owen as a doctor at New York’s Knickerbocker Hospital during the early 20th century. It was directed by Steven Soderbergh, who is among the show’s executive producers.

A month before it premiered, Cinemax renewed “The Knick” for a 10-episode second season.